Kazakhstan : la Route de la Soie au-delà des clichés, dans une yourte au cœur de Bruxelles

Par Kadir Duran – Bruxelles Korner

À l’Ambassade du Kazakhstan à Bruxelles, la diplomatie n’a pas pris place dans une salle protocolaire classique, mais sous le toit circulaire d’une yourte kazakhe authentique, installée à l’occasion de la fête de Nauryz. Un décor symbolique pour accueillir la deuxième édition des Shanyraq Dialogues, consacrée cette fois au thème : “Silk Road Beyond Stereotypes: Real Stories of Travel Across Kazakhstan”.

L’événement, modéré par Antonio Buscardini, président du Press Club Brussels Europe et rédacteur en chef de Travel Tomorrow, a réuni voyageurs, journalistes, producteurs audiovisuels et experts en diplomatie culturelle autour d’une même question : comment raconter le Kazakhstan au-delà des steppes, des ressources naturelles et des clichés géopolitiques ?

Dans son discours d’ouverture, S.E. Roman Vassilenko, Ambassadeur du Kazakhstan auprès de la Belgique et chef de mission auprès de l’Union européenne, a rappelé que la yourte n’est pas seulement un habitat nomade. Elle est un symbole d’hospitalité, d’unité, de continuité et d’ouverture. Le shanarak, couronne centrale de la yourte, représente ce lien entre la terre, le ciel et la communauté.

Le Kazakhstan présenté lors de cet après-midi n’était pas celui des cartes abstraites, mais celui des routes vécues. Claude Brouir, cycliste et voyageur, a raconté son périple de Bruxelles à Shanghai, traversant le Kazakhstan à vélo dans un voyage de près de 12 000 kilomètres. Pour lui, le pays fut une étape marquée par les rencontres humaines, l’accueil spontané et la profondeur des paysages.

Sven Huaeux, rédacteur en chef du magazine Porschist, a partagé son expérience d’un Kazakhstan parcouru entre Almaty, Turkistan, Astana et Burabay. À travers son regard de journaliste automobile, le pays est apparu comme un territoire de contrastes : canyons spectaculaires, modernité urbaine, patrimoine historique et routes infinies.

L’intervention d’Inga Chumakova, production manager de l’équipe Pékin Express, a particulièrement illustré la puissance touristique du Kazakhstan. Le programme “Route de Glace”, diffusé sur M6, a confronté les candidats à l’hiver kazakh, aux longues distances et à l’hospitalité locale. Selon elle, la surprise n’a pas été seulement visuelle, mais humaine : partout, les habitants ont ouvert leurs portes, offert un repas, un abri, une histoire.

Enfin, le professeur Olivier Arifon, expert en communication interculturelle et diplomatie publique, a replacé le débat dans une réflexion plus large sur le nomadisme et le néo-nomadisme. Respect de la nature, mobilité, transmission, sobriété du mode de vie : autant d’éléments qui, aujourd’hui, résonnent avec les aspirations contemporaines des voyageurs européens.

Au-delà de la promotion touristique, cet événement a montré une chose essentielle : le Kazakhstan cherche à raconter son identité par l’expérience vécue, non par le discours officiel seul. La Route de la Soie n’y est pas présentée comme un vestige figé du passé, mais comme une matrice contemporaine de dialogue, de circulation, d’échange et de coopération.

Dans une Europe parfois prisonnière de ses représentations sur l’Asie centrale, cette rencontre a ouvert une fenêtre différente : celle d’un Kazakhstan culturel, accueillant, stratégique, mais surtout profondément humain.

Sous la yourte de Bruxelles, la diplomatie kazakhe a rappelé une vérité simple : certains pays ne se comprennent pas uniquement par les rapports diplomatiques ou les statistiques économiques. Ils se comprennent par les routes, les repas partagés, les visages rencontrés et les histoires que les voyageurs rapportent.

Kazakhstan Beyond Stereotypes: The Silk Road Reimagined in the Heart of Brussels

By Kadir Duran – Bruxelles Korner

At the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Brussels, diplomacy did not unfold inside a conventional conference hall, but beneath the circular structure of an authentic Kazakh yurt, specially installed during the celebration of Nauryz. The setting perfectly reflected the spirit of the second edition of the Shanyraq Dialogues, held under the theme:

“Silk Road Beyond Stereotypes: Real Stories of Travel Across Kazakhstan.”

The event brought together travelers, journalists, producers, and experts in cultural diplomacy to discuss a central question: how can Kazakhstan be understood beyond the usual images of endless steppes, natural resources, and geopolitical narratives?

Moderated by Antonio Buscardini, President of Press Club Brussels Europe and Editor-in-Chief of Travel Tomorrow, the discussion transformed the yurt into a space of storytelling, cultural exchange, and reflection on Kazakhstan’s growing international visibility as a tourism and cultural destination.

In his opening remarks, H.E. Roman Vassilenko, Ambassador of Kazakhstan to the Kingdom of Belgium and Head of Mission to the European Union, emphasized that the yurt is far more than a nomadic dwelling. It symbolizes continuity, openness, unity, and hospitality. The shanarak — the sacred crown at the center of the yurt — represents the connection between community, earth, and sky.

The Ambassador also underlined that the Silk Road was never merely about trade routes, but about dialogue, curiosity, and human connection between civilizations. In that spirit, the event aimed not to present official narratives, but authentic personal experiences across Kazakhstan.

One of the most moving testimonies came from Belgian cyclist and traveler Claude Brouir, who crossed Kazakhstan during his 12,000-kilometer bicycle journey from Brussels to Shanghai. Having undertaken the trip following his recovery from cancer, Brouir described Kazakhstan as one of the most human and emotionally memorable parts of his journey.

He recalled the vastness of the country, the landscapes surrounding Almaty, and above all, the warmth of the people he encountered along the way. For him, Kazakhstan was not simply a territory to cross, but a place of encounters and genuine hospitality.

Another perspective came from Sven Huaeux, Editor-in-Chief of Porschist Magazine, who explored Kazakhstan with his team while preparing a special edition dedicated entirely to the country. Traveling from Almaty to Turkistan, Astana, and Burabay, Huaeux described Kazakhstan as a destination of striking contrasts: futuristic cities, dramatic canyons, immense roads, mountains, and deep cultural heritage.

He explained how the project initially emerged from a simple phone call suggesting Kazakhstan as a future destination for the magazine. What followed became one of the publication’s most memorable editorial adventures.

The discussion also highlighted Kazakhstan’s growing appeal in international television productions through the intervention of Inga Chumakova, Production Manager of the Pekin Express team. Their program, Route de Glace, broadcast on the French channel M6, introduced millions of viewers to Kazakhstan’s winter landscapes, villages, and hospitality.

The reality show required contestants to hitchhike across the country without money, relying entirely on local generosity for transportation, food, and shelter. According to Chumakova, many initially believed local residents would refuse to host strangers. The exact opposite happened.

Every evening, contestants found families willing to open their homes, share meals, and tell personal stories. For the production team, Kazakhstan became one of the most welcoming countries they had ever worked in during more than twenty years of filming travel programs around the world.

The conversation later moved toward broader reflections on identity, mobility, and modern nomadism through the intervention of Professor Olivier Arifon, expert in public diplomacy and intercultural communication. He explored how traditional nomadic values — respect for nature, mobility, minimalism, and communal life — increasingly resonate with contemporary European societies through phenomena such as digital nomadism and alternative lifestyles.

According to Arifon, Kazakhstan possesses a unique cultural narrative capable of attracting modern travelers seeking authenticity, open spaces, and deeper human connections.

Throughout the event, one idea repeatedly emerged: Kazakhstan is attempting to position itself internationally not only through economic or geopolitical relevance, but through storytelling, cultural diplomacy, and lived experiences.

The Embassy’s choice to host the event inside a yurt was therefore deeply symbolic. It transformed a diplomatic gathering into an immersive cultural encounter, allowing guests to experience fragments of Kazakhstan’s nomadic heritage directly in the heart of Brussels.

The evening concluded with traditional Kazakh specialties, discussions around tourism and cultural cooperation, and a final reflection from Ambassador Vassilenko: the Silk Road remains alive not as a relic of the past, but as a modern space of dialogue between peoples.Beyond official speeches and tourism promotion, the event revealed something more profound: Kazakhstan is increasingly shaping an international image built on hospitality, cultural confidence, and human connection.

In Brussels, beneath the wooden structure of a traditional yurt, Kazakhstan offered Europe more than a destination.

It offered a story.